Birchbox The Skincare Game Changers Kit Review January 2019

I think this Vasanti product was in my first ever Birchbox, and it was a holy grail for me for a while! This was when I was a freshman in college, which was a time where I thought Clean & Clear face wash and St. Ives Apricot scrub would work well for my skin- so when I tried this gentle exfoliating wash made with papaya enzymes, aloe vera, and Vitamin E, I was hooked by how soft and smooth it left my skin while brightening up my skin. I have moved on to bigger and better (read: pricier) things, but this exfoliator still has a soft spot in my heart for its effective yet gentle formula.

Peeling gels are a super popular K-Beauty trend at the moment, but before I knew about K-Beauty I knew about this peel thanks to those first few months subscribing to Birchbox. This is a fun exfoliating product that helps to lift dead skin cells off your face, and the experience of the gel balling up is entertaining.

This is a hydrating serum made with hyaluronic acid, aloe, and cloudberry seed oil. It absorbed quickly into my skin and left it feeling more moisturized, which means I needed less of my regular moisturizer.

This is a daily serum that doubles as a spot treatment, and it is designed to help fight acne without being too drying. This was gentle for my skin, but it does have a lot of essential oils that may be rough on sensitive skin like lemon and lavender. It all comes down to what your skin personally prefers, but if you are acne-prone and not sensitive to essential oils I would recommend giving this a shot.

This deep moisture mask does exactly what it says it will– provide some serious moisture to your skin. I used this on my cheeks that have been a bit sensitive as of late, and it seriously made my skin so happy. This is like a hug, in a jar, for your face. The size of this sample wasn’t listed, but I am estimating it to be about half an ounce.

Sand & Sky is an Australian-based skincare company that formulates their products with Australian-sourced ingredients. This mask is made with kaolin clay, bentonite, aloe vera, Vitamins A and E, witch hazel, and licorice, and it is designed to brighten and refine your skin. I have learned through both beauty blogs and trial and error that the best way to use clay masks is to NOT let them completely dry on your face, otherwise, your skin will be parched after using. I used this mask while I was taking a warm bath (which means my masks never fully dry on my face), and I was happy with how my skin looked and felt afterward.

These hydrating eye gels are designed to hydrate and de-puff the area under your eyes good ingredients like collagen, allantoin, and hyaluronic acid. I suffer more from dark circles then I do fine lines or puffy eyes, but I still enjoyed these as a refreshing 20-minute treat that helped me to relax (anyone else carry a LOT of tension in their face? I find cooling masks to be really helpful with that!).

I consider myself to be well-versed in the K-Beauty skincare game, so I was excited to see a new to me brand- plus this packaging is so nice for a sample! This is designed to replace your toner, serum, and facial oil, and it has a thin, milky consistency that absorbed into my skin really well. If you’re interested in trying more K-Beauty but aren’t down with a 10 step routine, this would be a great option to try.

Verdict: Honestly, reviewing the Birchbox discovery kits is one of the great joys in my life. There is the occasional disappointment, but most of the time these boxes are like this one- a great mix of cult classics and new discoveries that I fall in love with. The Clark’s Botanicals moisture mask and the Whal Myung Skin Elixir are my two favorite discoveries in the box, but I think overall this box was curated well. Value-wise, Birchbox promised a $74 value and by my math, that is about right with a total value of $74.14.

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, as of publication, this box is still available!

Value Breakdown: This box cost $34 ($29 + $5 shipping) and I calculated a value of $74.14, which means you are paying approximately the following per item:

604 subscribers rated this subscription

I am a staunch believer that pineapple doesn’t go on pizza and when I’m not studying for law school I’m relaxing at home with my cat. I’m a sucker for anything labeled a mystery box and I’ve never met a bath bomb I didn’t like!

I agree, I always enjoy reading about their Discovery kits and choosing some after reading your reviews! I like the clear thick plastic bags, and the samples aren’t too too small. And the info cards are good, too.

And thanks for the tip on clay masks – I avoid them for the drying out, but now I’ll try keeping them on a shorter time.

My comments have disappeared the last week, so I’ll try a lot of !!!!!!!!!!! exclamation points, to see if that helps.